White Sox Dominate Blue Jays in Post-Break Offensive Explosion -

TORONTO — White Sox hitters picked up where they left off before the All-Star break, pounding the Blue Jays 12-4 on Friday to pull a half game ahead in the American League Central and match a season-high at six games over .500 (51-45).

Catcher Kyle Teel tagged an RBI double during a five-run second inning that saw Braden Montgomery and Chase Meidroth knock in two more, before Sam Antonacci’s two-run rainbow of a home run over the right-field wall.

SAM ANTONACCI 💥 pic.twitter.com/50uvhFI6Yz
— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) July 17, 2026

Colson Montgomery cleared a loaded set of bases with a double in the fifth, and Braden Montgomery did the same with his first career triple in the seventh. Every Sox starter had a hit as they piled 12 on the last-place Jays.

tacked on 4️⃣ more ✅ pic.twitter.com/0RAmATwVzI
— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) July 18, 2026

Sox starter Anthony Kay labored through four innings, giving up two runs on two hits and three walks, with five strikeouts. He also hit his MLB-leading 17th and 18th batters of the year.

All-Star Miguel Vargas exited the game after getting plunked on the hand in the eighth.

No derby concerns

After Munetaka Murakami’s nine-homer outing failed to get him out of the first round of the Home Run Derby, the slugging rookie arrived in Toronto looking for his first dinger in game action since May 27, before the hamstring injury that kept him out for six weeks.

Manager Will Venable said he’s not worried about Murakami’s Derby action affecting the slugger’s form in the second half, brushing aside the common notion in many baseball circles that the free-swinging spectacle can throw hitters off their mechanics.

“I’m hoping that it helps Mune’s swing, after some time off, to be able to get some swings in,” Venable said. “And honestly, his stroke is a home run stroke anyways.”

Chase Meidroth (10) and Munetaka Murakami (5) celebrate after scoring on a three-RBI double by teammate Colson Montgomery during the fifth inning Friday in Toronto.

Murakami’s 20 homers are still good for third on the team behind Colson Montgomery (23) and Miguel Vargas (21).

“He obviously did such a good job on the field, and such a good job in the clubhouse and the dugout,” Venable said. “He was so meaningful for us in the first half, and we expect him to be meaningful in the second half.”

Shelter from the smoke

The retractable Rogers Centre roof was closed for Friday’s series opener on an otherwise beautiful summer night due to the plumes of Canadian wildfire smoke that consumed Chicago and much of the continent this week.

“The smoke is a real concern,” Venable said. “Glad that it’s not a concern with the roof.”

With scoreboard-watching season in full swing, the smoke wiped out Cleveland’s home matchup with the Pirates, which was postponed due to air-quality concerns.

On the mend

The Sox sent outfielder Austin Hays out on a rehab assignment Friday on his way back from the calf strain that has sidelined him since early May.

Hays will be joined at Triple-A Charlotte this weekend by fellow outfielder Everson Pereira, who’s working his way back from the concussion he suffered on a painfully spectacular catch last month at Yankee Stadium. The Sox’ offseason additions have combined to play 33 games this season between stints on the injured list.

Meanwhile, Drew Thorpe, the prize of the Dylan Cease trade, was expected to start a rehab assignment with the Sox’ Arizona Complex League squad on his way back from Tommy John surgery in March 2025..

July 31 will mark two years since the last time Thorpe played for the Sox, who don’t line up to face Cease this weekend after his All-Star Game start for the American League.

The Chicago White Sox displayed their offensive firepower Friday night in Toronto, overwhelming the Blue Jays 12-4 to gain ground in the American League Central standings. The victory improved Chicago’s record to 51-45, matching their season-best mark of six games above .500 and moving them a half-game ahead in divisional play.

A five-run second inning set the tone for the dominant performance. Catcher Kyle Teel contributed an RBI double during the burst, while Braden Montgomery and Chase Meidroth each drove in runs. Sam Antonacci added to the onslaught with a two-run home run that cleared the right-field wall.

The White Sox continued their assault in the middle innings. Colson Montgomery doubled with the bases loaded in the fifth, and Braden Montgomery tripled with runners in scoring position during the seventh. All nine Chicago starters recorded at least one hit in the contest.

White Sox starter Anthony Kay pitched four innings, allowing two runs on two hits while recording five strikeouts. He also hit two batters, extending his league-leading total to 18 on the season. All-Star Miguel Vargas exited the game after being struck by a pitch in the eighth inning.

Manager Will Venable expressed confidence that recent call-up Munetaka Murakami’s participation in the Home Run Derby would not disrupt his swing. Murakami failed to advance past the first round despite hitting nine home runs in that competition.

“I’m hoping that it helps Mune’s swing, after some time off, to be able to get some swings in,” Venable said. “And honestly, his stroke is a home run stroke anyways.”

Murakami has 20 home runs this season, placing him third on the team behind Colson Montgomery’s 23 and Miguel Vargas’s 21. The rookie remains sidelined by recovery from a hamstring injury that kept him out for six weeks before the All-Star break.

Toronto’s Rogers Centre operated with its retractable roof closed Friday despite favorable summer conditions, as Canadian wildfire smoke blanketed the region and threatened air quality. The Chicago area and much of North America experienced smoke plumes throughout the week.

“The smoke is a real concern,” Venable said. “Glad that it’s not a concern with the roof.”

The smoke also forced postponement of Cleveland’s home game against Pittsburgh due to air-quality issues. The White Sox continue preparations for the second half while monitoring the status of injured players on rehabilitation assignments.

Outfielder Austin Hays began a rehab assignment Friday at Triple-A Charlotte as he recovers from a calf strain sustained in early May. Fellow outfielder Everson Pereira will join him in Charlotte this weekend while working back from a concussion suffered during a diving catch at Yankee Stadium last month.

Drew Thorpe, acquired in the Dylan Cease trade, was slated to begin a rehab assignment with the Arizona Complex League squad. Thorpe has not pitched for the White Sox since undergoing Tommy John surgery in March 2025, making his return significant for Chicago’s rotation depth moving forward.